MOVIE REVIEW: Napoleon Dynamite
This movie would be nothing if it weren’t for the dialogue, and most importantly its delivery. The plot? There is very little of it. 'Napoleon Dynamite' is about a teen named Napoleon Dynamite (naturally) who looks like he was spat out of a time warp machine dated 1980. Napoleon lies, but makes up for it by never acting like potty-mouthed sailor; instead he substitutes curse words with words like "heck," and "flippin," which are now words used regularly by the cult-followers of this little indie movie that could (and did). He is also monotone, and never flinches a smile or any other kind of emotion, which you would normally expect from a protagonist. He has a crush on a side-pony tailed Debs, a strange Mexican friend Pedro, and an even stranger brother and uncle. If that random bunch of facts does not scintillate you, then you better hear all of these characters speak.
This film isn't following Napoleon through a marvelous time in his life, nor does this film have a climax like most do, so what’s so amazing about this movie? It’s simple, funny, and so random that you praise the creators (the dynamic married duo Jerusha and Josh Hess) for coming up with such genius and memorable characters and one-liners, to boot.
'Napoleon Dynamite' takes place during present time, but during the entire movie it’s impossible to believe that these people, who are living in the boondocks of Idaho, are in the new millennium; from Napoleon’s thrift shop t-shirts, to Deb’s (Tina Majorino) eccentric hair-do and attire, you would think it takes place in 1982 – the year Napoleon’s uncle is still reminiscing about.
It is a very slow-paced movie, but for every couple of scenes that drag (if you even call it a drag), there is one line in each scene that will make you laugh out loud and take mental notes on things to quote later on. Yes, Napoleon Dynamite is his real name, and no he’s nothing like the real Napoleon and he certainly isn’t dynamite, but this movie is still a must-see for anyone who appreciates funny, dry, and ubber arbitrary dialogue.
Best performance: Jon
Heder as Napoleon Dynamite. He deserves
an award for his portrayal as the monotone character that never smiles. Plus, if Nicole Kidman can win an Oscar for
putting on a prosthetic nose, Heder should win for having an unattractive perm.
Why see it in a nutshell? Even though there is no nudity or sex in this film, there is a flippin’
sweet dance number performed by Haylie Duff in an unrevealing ensemble, and an
even sweeter dance number performed by the hero of this film, Napoleon Dynamite
himself.
Rating:
